5 Investment Themes for 2025
2025 is here. And global innovation is more exciting than ever. At Kadan Capital, we’re looking for bold founders who are tackling the biggest challenges and building the next wave of transformative solutions. Here are the 5 areas we’re most excited about!
1. AI-powered vertical software
The Problem: In traditional vertical software, tasks like data entry, analysis, and generating actionable insights are often repetitive, time-consuming, and susceptible to human error. AI introduces new possibilities for vertical software applications, enabling use cases that were previously unachievable.
What we’re looking For: AI-powered SaaS designed for specific industries. Whether it’s automating medical coding in healthcare, enhancing compliance workflows in regulated sectors, or enabling tailored B2B marketing, we’re looking for automated solutions that address industry-specific challenges.
2. Cross-border payments for emerging markets
The Problem: Cross-border payments in emerging markets remain expensive, slow, and riddled with inefficiencies. Businesses and individuals are burdened by high transaction fees, extended settlement times, and limited transparency in financial systems. For many individuals and SMEs, these inefficiencies can mean insurmountable limits.
What we're looking for: Startups leveraging innovative financial technologies to enable seamless, low-cost, and efficient payments. Solutions that enhance trust, reduce barriers, and provide transparency in cross-border transactions are needed to unlock economic growth.
3. AI-enabled cybersecurity and fraud detection tools
The Problem: Cyberattacks and fraud are escalating in frequency and complexity, driven by increased digitalisation, remote work, and interconnected systems. This poses significant risks to individuals and organisations, from data breaches to financial fraud.
What we're looking for: AI-driven cybersecurity and fraud detection solutions that provide real-time threat mitigation, secure cloud environments, and combat financial fraud at scale. Reliable and adaptive technologies that enhance trust and resilience are key.
4. Asset-backed financing in emerging markets
The Problem: Access to affordable financing for essential assets like homes and vehicles remains out of reach for a significant portion of the population in emerging markets. Traditional lenders often require extensive documentation, collateral, and high interest rates that exclude large segments of underserved communities. This gap not only limits individual opportunities but also stifles broader economic growth.
What we're looking for: Innovative financing models leverage technology, alternative data, and proprietary underwriting methods to make capital-intensive necessities like homes, vehicles and education more accessible to underserved populations.
5. AI enterprise services with humans in the loop
The Problem: Fully autonomous AI systems often struggle with complex, high-stakes, or ambiguous scenarios, leading to errors, inefficiencies, and a lack of trust in sensitive enterprise applications. This creates challenges for businesses in regulated industries or those requiring accountability.
What we’re looking for: Startups providing AI-powered, BPO-style services that integrate human oversight to verify and refine AI outputs. Tools that combine automation with human-in-the-loop systems to ensure accuracy, compliance, and transparency in enterprise workflows are essential to enable scalable and reliable operations such as accounting, analytics or customer service.
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